Monday, April 20, 2009

Impervious surfaces are traded for trees in 'eco-park' redevelopment of former Brownfield

Lynchburg plans city eco-park Lynchburg News and Advance - Lynchburg,VA,USAThe eco-friendly teardown will salvage materials that can be recycled or reused in city projects, such as metal, wood planks and bricks. The aim is to keep the materials out of the landfill, Frazier said.This spring, the project received additional momentum when graduate students from the University of Virginia completed conceptual plans for the park for their urban and environmental planning class, taught by adjunct professor Karen Firehock.The plan restores tree canopies and green space to an area that’s dominated by concrete and asphalt. It features a multipurpose athletic field, community center with an indoor gym, playgrounds, trails, picnic shelters and pedestrian access to Lynchburg Grows and City Stadium.Sustainable design elements, such as green roofs and rain gardens, are central to the concept.